Fighting Depression with Fruits and Vegetables

What is depression?

According to medical studies, depression is a mental health condition that affects our ability to live a healthy normal life which is based on our thoughts and behavior. Studies have also shown that one out of every ten Americans suffers from depression.

Depression

There are many types of depression, therefore we will only be looking at some general information pertaining to this topic and see what part fruits and vegetables play in all of this.

Signs of depression

These are some of the signs to look for to know if you or a loved one may be suffering from depression. Thoughts of suicide, problem sleeping, no desire for food or loss of appetite, some people also overeat, can’t seem to stop crying, always moody, having a desire to withdraw from everyone including loved ones, feelings of frustration, no motivation, not being productive, relying on medication and alcohol, always tired etc… we can go on and on, so we see that depression is very ugly and affects the lives of people in so many ways.

Medication and depression

There are many medications that have been used and is being used to fight depression, many of them I am sure that you have seen advertised on television. But amazing as it may seem, studies have also shown that a diet with fruits and vegetables may also play a part in helping

to bring depression under control. Now I know that this may be new to some of you, but it is worth taking a look at to see what we can use nature to help fight depression.

Word of Caution

Word of caution, this article is not suggesting that you discontinue doctors medication or treatment and rely on fruits and vegetables only, but to make fruits and vegetables a part of your diet while you are on doctors medication. Having a balanced diet will help contribute to your overall health.

Fruits and vegetables

Studies have shown that a diet consisting of fruits and vegetables goes a long way in helping to fight depression because fruits and vegetables are filled not only with vitamins but also with

antioxidants. Persons with a greater intake of antioxidants showed fewer signs of being depressed. Antioxidants are found in fruits and vegetables, these compounds

protect the cells from being damaged by free radicals that may lead to brain damage. Flavonoids are also found in fruits and vegetables. What studies have shown is that flavonoids contain anti-microbial and antihistamine that may increase memory and may also positively impact a person mood.

A lack of B vitamins in the diet is also connected to individuals suffering from depression, B vitamins can be found in eggs, meats, whole greens, legumes and green leafy vegetables.

Neurotransmitters are our brains messengers, controls our energy level, our moods, and our appetite, the health of the neurotransmitter is supported by vitamins and healing properties that are in organic meats, fish, bananas, spinach, kale, collard greens and other fruits and vegetables.

Fruits and vegetables that have these healing properties

Blueberries, strawberries, figs, melons, bananas, peaches, cantaloupe, oranges, kiwi, grapefruit, nuts, tomatoes, brussels sprout, spinach, bell peppers, green beans, beetroot, asparagus, carrots, apricots, sweet potatoes, potatoes, and pumpkins. These are just a few of the many that can really give you that boost that you need.

Note:

It is good not to overcook vegetables, they ought to have some firmness and some crunch left in them after cooking because overcooking can destroy vitamins and other healing agents or if you can, eating a lot of vegetables raw in salads is even better.

Final word

I am truly amazed by how beneficial fruits and vegetables are to our health and well- being, we cannot afford not to make them a part of our diet. So let’s take advantage and boost our health because by doing this we will be doing ourselves a favor by giving our bodies what it really needs.

26 comments

I enjoyed reading your write up about depression and the benefits of fruits and vegetables.

I personally have dealt with depression and have found that the types of food I consume can be very big factor in this. When I consume a lot of fresh raw fruits and vegetables, I find it helps a great deal.

I have found turmeric, ginger, Korean red ginseng, fish oil, and a quality multi-vitamin to be very helpful, too.

The activity of gardening and growing your own produce multiplies the beneficial effect!

I’m an avid supporter of eating as healthy as possible and I love reading about the different ways that fruits/vegetables are beneficial. Its amazing to me how much these foods can change your health and I never really thought about how they can help your mental health, in cases like depression. This was a very informative post!

Hello It is so good to meet you and the benefits of fruits and vegetables are just so amazing, we should make sure and include them in our diet for better health. I am glad that I could help, all the best to you.

Norman, I’m totally inline with your post! I definitely support a healthy lifestyle and appreciate your concerns for using a healthy diet in addition to traditional medical care. It’s not a replacement, at least if you’re just getting into it.

I’m always surprised with the number of people who don’t even understand what a healthy diet is until it’s too late. I suppose I’m lucky to learn such a thing from an early age.

I think more people need to hear your message and I appreciate you sharing your wealth of knowledge on the subject.

Hello Ian it is so good to meet you, and I am happy to share what I know to help as many people that I can to live a more healthy lifestyle , thanks for those kinds words, all the best to you and have a good day.

I really enjoyed your post, I think that it is very helpfull and informative.
Its amazing how all these rich enzimes and vitamins.
There must be so much people suffering depression that could be improving their situation with their Vitamin B intake.

Hello Santiago it is good to see you again, fruits are pretty amazing and really do do some pretty amazing things. Glad that I could help, all the best to you and thanks a million for sharing this post, have a good day.

Wow, I am astounded! I am all for food therapy and using food as well as herbs to cure or prevent all sorts of illnesses due to the nutritional content but I never seen nor thought that food could indeed be a possible and viable solution to one of the worse illnesses to plague modern society depression.

Thanks for sharing this article – I’m noting down some of the vegetables and fruits mentioned.

Good morning Derek it is good to see and to hear from you, fruits and vegetables are really amazing and they are so beneficial for us, so lets take advantage of these natural wonders, and make them a part of our diet. Glad I could help, all the best to you and have a good day.

It is very interesting to know that antioxidants can help with stress. I am never really depressed but I do love my fruits and vegetables. Sometimes I think I could be a vegetarian, other than the fact that I do love meat as well and would have to have that in my diet. I try to keep my fridge stocked with grapes and strawberries, my teens favorite. Good to know that they help him in many ways.

Fruit and vegetables should be an essential part of everybody’s diet, unfortunately this is not always the case and many people are battling with depression more than we think.

The other good point that you mentioned here is that the vegetables shouldn’t be overcook, but I think many people do as they don’t like a bit of crunchiness in them and they prefer them soft which by then all the vitamins are all gone.

My friend it is so good to hear from you, oh the benefits of fruits and vegetables are just so great, only if people took advantage of them, many of them would be in more good health. Thanks for commenting, all the best to you and have a good day.

Eating certain plants and fruits may not immediately ease your depression compared to taking proper medications or put you instantly in a good mood BUT a healthy diet WILL help treat you overall. Garbage in – garbage out. So be very mindful of what you put inside your mouth.

This was a really informative and helpful post. I love eating organic, fresh and healthy and I know that healthy doesn’t have to be boring or tasteless at all.
Rather it can be far more tasty than the junk.

I love the nutritious value fruits and vegetables provide.
My friend kind of seems depressed and I never saw her eating anything other than junk.

I will direct her here, so that she may get some help!
Thanks a lot for the post.

Hello Smart prince it is so good to meet you, fruits and vegetables are so beneficial to our bodies and we should take full advantage of these because of the amount of vitamins that they have along with their healing properties. Glad that I could help and hope that you friend gets better soon. Thanks for sharing this information with her, all the best to you and have a good day.

Great article on vegetables that help in depression. My wife has had OCD her entire life and still suffers depression even though she’s on meds. Because of your article, I’m going to start buying a lot of vegetables and fruit. Are there certain types of vegetables or fruit that might help people with OCD?

Good morning Nathan it is so good to meet you, I am so sorry to hear about your wife I know that It must have been a hard at times but I hope she gets well soon. Here are some fruits and vegetables she can try. Onions, potatoes, celery, carrots, beets, fresh corn, garlic, red belle pepper, apples, oranges, tomatoes, peaches, blueberries, green leafy vegetables are great also. These are just a few that she can try. Hope this helps all the best to you and have a good day. All please do let me know how everything goes. Thanks again.

I totally agree with your article. Nutrition is life’s healer and I have seen some amazing results of healing depression with the use of fruits and veges. My daughter is a vegetarian and is a prime example of helping her get through her depression without the use of drugs.
I really like your website, you have some amazing articles that I will definitely read.
Cheers Di

Hello Di it is so good to meet you and thanks for sharing that awesome story, this proves once again how beneficial fruits and vegetable are to us. I am glad that I could help, thanks for those kind words, all the best to you and have a good day.

Hi there,
I love the connection you are making with natural food and healthy living. I personally believe that if we work hard enough and research thoroughly the benefits of natural healthy eating we can eliminate the need for prescribed medication . Best of luck to you as you go forward.
Cheeers….Phil.

Hello Phil is so nice to see you again, healthy living is the way to go. I believe that persons should invest more in their health by eating the right foods that are so beneficial. All the best to you and have a good day.